This Is It
by ArtemisFallen
Summary: Most of these chapters are from Garrus Vakarian's POV. The first chapter is from the Extended Goodbye Cut in Mass Effect 3. This is my attempt at an in depth dedication to the love and emotions felt during Shepard and Garrus' final goodbye and ongoing romance. The goodbye killed me to write, all the emotions! This will be an ongoing story. Hope you enjoy! Shakarian romance.
1. Chapter 1

_This is it_, Garrus thought as his feet hit the ruined and charred ground. He barely had enough time to absorb the sheer and overwhelming devastation before Shepard took off running. She sprinted with unsurpassable determination towards the Citadel Beam. Without another thought, Garrus took off after her, Vega keeping pace beside him. Harbinger blared loudly, as if sensing Shepard's presence. Harbinger fired a Reaper beam at Shepard. She dodged it and Garrus watched in disbelief as the soldier that had been in front of her was vaporized. Shepard dropped her head, but kept running. Another shot rang out and both he and Vega were pelted with sharp debris. Vega grunted and Garrus could see fresh blood spring to the surface of his cheek. Garrus' skin was tougher than Vega's and had resisted the torrent of sharp metal and rocks. The agonizing screams of dying soldiers seemed to materialize from the very air. The only thing to penetrate the wretched sounds of torment were the shrill cry of Reaper horns and sporadic gun fire. Garrus clenched his mandibles and focused on Shepard.

Garrus felt his breath catch in his throat as a Reaper beam hit beside Shepard, throwing her off balance. She leaned as if she were going to fall, her hands skimming the surface of the ground. Somehow, she regained her balance and kept charging forward, faster than before. He was amazed at how she never faltered, keeping her goal within sight.

He looked over to see Vega wearing a smirk of admiration as they ran. Garrus found himself mirroring the smirk. Nothing, not even the threat of death, would stop Shepard. Garrus was proud of her. He could think of no greater honor than to have served with her in the final moments that would determine the fate of the galaxy.

The Reaper horn blared loudly again. Garrus grimaced against the noise and saw a vehicle flip into the air as the beam struck the ground in front of it. Fear crushed against his chest, hard and sharp as the vehicle careened towards Shepard. Without missing a beat, she dropped to her knee and back, sliding to the ground as the vehicle shot towards her. The vehicle struck the ground hard, throwing dust and smoke everywhere. Garrus lost sight of Shepard. His breath harshened as he began to run faster towards the wreckage. Fear and panic pricked at all his senses. He could see nothing except the smoking wreckage that lay before him.

Harbinger fired again, hitting a group of vehicles. Garrus barely heard the shot, he had been so focused on getting to Shepard. Before he could react, the M35 Mako that had been displaced by the Reaper beam landed in his path. The world around Garrus began to slow down. He saw Vega, who had kept up with him the entire time, put an arm in front of Garrus. They stopped as the Mako sat precariously on its end. The instance only lasted a moment, but to Garrus it felt much longer. Garrus heard the grind and groan of the metal as the Mako began to topple towards them.

Garrus and Vega leapt in separate directions as the Mako crashed to the ground. Garrus landed roughly on his side. He began to push himself up when the Mako exploded in a bright fury of smoke and fire. The heat wave of the explosion hit him first and then the fire. He wrapped his arms defensively over his head, hearing the disconcerting sizzle of his armor as the fire enveloped him. A moment later, he felt something strike him in the abdomen. He growled sharply at the pain, instantly realizing that his armor had been penetrated by a sharp shard of metal. He felt his blood begin to seep freely from the wound. Futilely, he began to crawl from the wreckage, his blurred vision scanning the havoc for Shepard and Vega.

She appeared suddenly over a toppled Mako, like an apparition, jumping from the top of it and almost floating to the ground beneath her. She moved with a grace and agility only she could master. She was heading for Garrus. Her eyes swept over to Vega and she put a hand out for him. Vega managed to his knees, waving Shepard on with his hand. Shepard's arms circled around Garrus' torso and she yanked him to his feet. Garrus hissed in pain, but managed to push himself against her. She half carried, half dragged him to the overturned Mako she had just jumped from. Vega had finally made it to his feet and stumbled over to the Mako to rejoin Shepard and Garrus. She set Garrus down beside the vehicle and that is where their eyes met. Garrus saw her features changed immediately as she assessed his condition. The hardened determination that had once embodied her face melted and became stricken with concern.

Garrus knew it was bad. He could feel the punctures in his armor and smell the burning metal. The wound in his abdomen throbbed horribly and he felt himself convulse in pain, even as he struggled against it. Vega put a hand on his shoulder and assessed the damage. He heard him hiss through his teeth.

Another explosion sounded from behind the cover of the overturned vehicle. Garrus could hear the ringing of the explosion echo in his ears, his senses painfully heightened. Shepard's voice cut through the chaos.

"Normandy, do you copy? I need an evac right now!" She shouted, looking grimly at Garrus.

Joker's voice came in garbled and unclear. "We're taking heavy loses..." Static blocked out the rest of his transmission.

Garrus felt his side and winced in pain. The blood loss had not slowed and he worried that there was more damage than just the jagged piece of metal jammed between his body and his armor.

He heard the sound of a ship overhead and Joker's voice through the static. The Normandy came down and Garrus could see Joker wrestle for control of the ship as he tried to land it amidst the chaos. Shepard put Garrus' arm around her shoulders and gently coaxed him to stand.

"Come on!" She urged, pulling him to his feet. The pain in his side wrenched him, but he pushed past it, forcing himself to keep step with her. Vega flanked them, a hand clutching his ribs and a pained expression on his grime streaked face. As they approached the Normandy, they were met by soldiers laying down suppressing fire. Vega ran up the ramp leading into the Normandy. He turned to face Shepard and Garrus.

"Here, take him," Shepard said, the strain from carrying Garrus evident in her voice. She pushed him towards Vega's extended arm.

"Shepard!" Garrus protested weakly as Vega wrapped his arm around Garrus' waist, supporting his weight.

Shepard took a few steps back from Garrus, her face set with determination. "You gotta get out of here!"

Garrus felt himself fluster, despite the pain that cascaded through his entire body. "And you've gotta be kidding me!" He argued incredulously.

Shepard did not flinch. "Don't argue, Garrus."

Garrus pushed against Vega, trying to reach Shepard. Vega tightened his grip around Garrus' waist, yanking him back. Garrus grunted, pain entering his voice, causing it to strain. "We're in this to the end!" He watched her for a moment, her features were softening. "There's no Shepard without Vakarian…" He said softly, echoing what she had said to him before their assault on the Citadel beam.

Her eyes glazed over briefly with tears and he could see her swallow hard. She began to advance towards him, fighting to keep her voice steady. "No matter what happens here, you know I love you." Her hand reached out and caressed the scarred flesh of his face. Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper as she strove to control her emotions. "I always will."

Garrus felt his heart begin to shatter, a longing so deep and a sorrow so sharp pierced him. She had said those words to him before and they had been beautiful. Now those same words which had brought him so much happiness threatened to rip out his very soul.

"Shepard...I…" He brought his hand up to hers which still held his face and pressed his mandible into her palm. He looked into her lovely eyes. His voice caught in his throat and the terror that came next flooded through him not because of the words he was about to say to her, but because of the raw truth of them.

"…Love you, too," he finished softly, wishing he had said the words sooner.

The desolation and carnage of the world behind her disappeared as a slow smile spread across her lips. It was a moment that Garrus wished he could remain in forever. She stepped away from him, his hand still wrapped over hers.

The shrill cry of Harbinger shook their shared reverie and Shepard released Garrus' hand to look to Harbinger. When she looked back at him, he could see that the coveted moment had passed. Once again, her features were hard set with determination.

"Go!" She ordered, waving to Vega, who still held tightly to Garrus. Unwilling to let it end, Garrus continued to reach for her, hoping to once again reclaim that lost moment. Shepard allowed her gaze to linger on Garrus, backing away slowly, before turning with effort and running back towards the Citadel Beam and Harbinger.

Devastated, Garrus reluctantly dropped his arm to his side and watched the woman he loved slip further and further away from him. He could feel the crushing despair overtake him. He was sure he would never see her again.

"Come on," Vega urged gently, pulling on Garrus firmly. Garrus met Vega's gaze and he could see the pain of his and Shepard's goodbye painted on Vega's face.

Vega opened his mouth to say something and Garrus shook his head. He dropped his eyes to the ground and hugged his burning side with his arm. He allowed Vega to pull him into the Normandy.

As the ship began to rise in the air, Garrus could only wonder what terrors Shepard faced on the surface alone. Tali came to help Vega with Garrus and he collapsed against them, his strength exhausted. He had already begun to mourn the loss of Shepard and wanted nothing more than to slip away into oblivion with her.

He swallowed hard, delirious with the pain of his wounds and the pain in his heart. "Meet you at the bar…" He muttered before allowing himself to be taken to the med bay.


	2. Chapter 2

The sharp clatter of medical tools on the floor roused Garrus from his drug induced sleep. The Normandy was taking evasive action and Joker was definitely doing his best flying and swearing. Random items rolled back and forth across the floor of the Med Bay. Dr. Chakwas held tightly to her chair, her eyes shut tightly. A particularly hard turn bounced Garrus across the cot he was occupying. Luckily, Dr. Chakwas had managed to fasten the bed restraints around him before Joker had begun to deploy his particular style of evasive maneuvers. The restraints dug into Garrus tightly and he was slightly aware of the discomfort. He closed his eyes again, unable to care about the current situation and found himself slipping back into sleep.

"Shit… Shit… Shit! Extraction Team, things are getting dicey out here. Have you reached the Citadel?" Joker announced over the intercom, relaying his transmission throughout the Normandy.

Garrus felt his attention suddenly focus. He forced himself to remain conscious.

"Approaching the Citadel. Sending shuttle extraction coordinates to you now, Jeff." EDI replied.

Garrus struggled to keep awake, fighting against the powerful opiates which flooded his system.

"Stay sharp and look for survivors," an Alliance soldier said through the intercom.

_They're looking for Shepard! _Garrus' mind screamed.

Garrus fought to remain conscious as the team searched for Shepard. Twice, he felt himself drift off and he had to shake his head violently to keep awake. It felt like an eternity before the Alliance soldier could once again be heard through the intercom.

"Normandy, we have discovered three persons. Two males and one female."

Garrus felt his heart quicken, his head swam in a mist and he felt the opiates begin to pull him back into unconsciousness despite his best efforts.

"Normandy, the identity of the Illusive Man has been confirmed. Status, deceased."

Garrus listened intently. He knew without a doubt that it had been Shepard who had put an end to the Illusive Man.

"Normandy, the identity of Admiral David Anderson has been confirmed. Status… deceased." The Alliance soldier said solemnly.

Garrus breathed in deeply, every muscle in his body tensing. The intercom remained silent. The strain of the situation began to wear at him and Garrus could feel his muscles tremble with fatigue.

"Normandy…" The Alliance soldier said over the intercom. "Shepard is… alive."

Garrus felt all of his muscles relax at once, leaving him heavy from the relief that flooded through him. He began to breathe again, unaware he had been holding his breath. Before he even had time to rejoice in the news, Garrus was once again unconscious.

Garrus could feel himself coming out of his induced sleep once again. This time he could hear the sound of concerned voices. He groggily turned his head towards the voices, his vision slowly clearing.

"…heavily sedated. We simply don't have the proper equipment, Dr. T'soni." Dr. Chakwas finished saying.

Garrus could see Liara fretting over an Enviro-Protection Pod. Garrus felt confused, Enviro Pods were specialized sterile modules used strictly for Quarian patients. He sat up slowly, noticing his safety restraints had been removed. A wave of dizziness met him as he tried to sit up.

"We have do something!" Liara protested. Her hand reached up and she began to rub her chin nervously. "What do we need?"

Dr. Chakwas sighed and looked down into the Enviro Pod. "Her armor was severely burned and it has bonded to her skin." The words came out painful and slow. She shook her head. "We can't begin to remove the armor without extensive nerve damage and I can't even determine the extent of damage to her cybernetics until we remove it."

Garrus pushed himself into a sitting position. He felt the thermal bandage pull on his abdomen tightly as he moved. The pain was only a minor discomfort. Dr. Chakwas had him on a high dose of opiates and they combated everything he felt. Garrus craned his neck and was barely able to make out the form of a young woman in the Enviro Pod. Her armor was charred black and melted, molding in with her skin. Her exposed forearms were burned and bloody. Garrus struggled to see her face. He put his feet on the floor, supporting himself against the bed.

"We need to get her into a Hydro Vat," Dr. Chakwas continued. "That will help loosen the armor from her skin. But we have a bigger problem. Her armor is fused together. We can't cut it off without risking further injury to her."

"We could use an acid based compound to weaken the armor in places and remove it in several pieces," Liara offered.

Dr. Chakwas nodded in agreement. "We don't have much time. The Enviro Pod will only sustain her for a short while."

Garrus began to move slowly towards the pod, the truth of the situation finally dawning on his opiate laced brain. He could almost see the woman's face in the pod.

"Glyph," Liara turned to the VI. "What Intensive Emergency Medical facilities are nearby?"

"One moment, Dr. T'Soni, while I analyze your inquiry… The Nimbus has been repurposed into a Medical Frigate with Specialized Intensive Care. Would you like me to make contact?"

"Yes," Liara said. "We need to get her there as soon as possible."

"Garrus?" Dr. Chakwas said, her tone rising in surprise as she saw him.

Garrus stood beside Dr. Chakwas, looking down into the Enviro Pod. The woman inside was nearly unrecognizable. She had a large cut over her left eye and a darkening bruise under it. An angry welt discolored her right cheek bone. Scalded burn marks snaked their way up her neck and jaw. Her mouth and nose were stained with blood. Her eyelids were dark and closed. Garrus felt his legs tremble weakly as he looked down at the woman he loved.

"Shepard…" He whispered, his knees buckling from exertion. Dr. Chakwas and Liara grabbed him.

"You shouldn't be up, Garrus." Dr. Chakwas scolded. Garrus resisted, putting his hand on the Enviro Pod over Shepard's damaged face.

"Artemis, I should have been with you." He said weakly.

Liara shot Garrus an anguished look. "Don't do that to yourself, Garrus."

Garrus groaned and stared down at Shepard. "I should've protected her."

"Garrus…" Liara said, her voice falling short. Garrus rested his hand on the Enviro Pod for a moment longer, slowly puling his talons across the smooth casing, allowing his arm to drop to his side.

"You have to rest Garrus," Dr. Chakwas said. Garrus remained still and unmoving. "I will sedate you again if I have to," she threatened.

Garrus sighed and resigned himself. He allowed them to return him to his cot. Dr. Chakwas sedated him anyway. As Garrus' vision slowly faded, he stared at the Enviro Pod and the painful sight of Shepard.

_Hold on, Shepard. Hold on._

PART II:

Garrus sat hunched over Shepard as she lay in a medically induced coma. They were on the Nimbus and she had been under Specialized care for nearly a week now. At first, the medical team had refused any visitation from Garrus or anyone else from the Normandy. Despite persisting, the medical staff kept insisting that Shepard's location aboard the Nimbus was confidential. Frustrated, Garrus, Tali and EDI devised a plan to discover Shepard's location. Garrus had been in charge of looping the video from the security surveillance feed. When this was done, EDI distracted the VI in charge of patient records while Tali hacked into the medical logs and gained the location and access code to Shepard's private room.

Garrus chuckled, remembering the shock of the Salarian nurse when she saw him sitting with Shepard. She had called for the security officers. The first two failed to remove him from the room. It took six more and a tranquilizer from the slippery Salarian nurse to haul Garrus out of there. A transmission from Primarch Victus cleared Garrus of being a terrorist and an assassin. Another transmission from Admiral Hackett granted visitation rights to Shepard for the Normandy crew and high ranking officers with proper credentials. However, the visitation clearance didn't exactly mean much since Shepard was to remain in her induced coma until further notice.

Garrus sat and stroked Shepard's forehead gently. He found it comforting to be able to be near her. He spoke to her, hoping that she could hear him somehow.

"You know, they're calling you '_The Shepard' _now." He began, fumbling for more things to say. "The food here is horrible. They forced me to eat some as punishment for breaking into your room. So, you're not missing much by being asleep." He muttered idly. He found himself looking at her neck and chest. The thermal grafts had been removed that morning and delicate pink skin glowed in place of the scalded and burned flesh. Garrus wasn't sure how, but the medical staff had somehow successfully removed Shepard's charred armor. It couldn't have been an easy task or a pretty one given the state of the ceramic plating of the armor.

Garrus shuddered at the thought, remembering the feel of his burning armor against his skin which was far thicker than Shepard's. He had no idea how she had endured so much pain and still managed to have found the strength to destroy the Reapers.

"I'll update you on the latest Normandy gossip. Joker and EDI are exploring their… relationship. If you could call it that. Liara's been helping EDI program modular enhancements within her Gynoid body so she can experience and feel human interactions. Well, long story short, EDI got a little over eager and didn't test out the enhancements in a safe environment before employing them. And as a result, Joker is being treated for some _minor_ burns." He remarked whimsically with a chuckle.

He ran his talons through her hair and smiled. He was getting used to human fringe. It had a nice feel and he loved how it slid through his fingers. He looked at her face and noted that the cut over her eye was going to leave a slight scar that would probably heal in time. The other markings on her face were fading away, leaving only traces of discoloration that would disappear completely in a couple of weeks.

"Just between you and me, I have a weakness for women with scars," Garrus continued, spouting every random thought he had just so she could hear his voice. He remembered that she had once told him after a night together that his voice was the best thing to wake up to. That and his mouth, among other things.

"Your rifle was lost in the battle. I thought about getting you a new one and modifying it for you. You know, so you can practice your aim in a futile attempt to outshoot me." His voiced dropped abruptly. He was running out of small talk. He found himself watching as her chest rose and fell with each breath she took.

"Artemis…" He had taken to using her first name when he had something important to say to her. "I've been alone in this galaxy for what's felt like a long time. I never thought I could find even a shred of happiness, not to mention love. But you changed all that and I…" He trailed off, suddenly realizing exactly what he wanted to say. "I'm not willing to risk losing you ever again. When you're healed, when you finally open your eyes, I want to make you mine, forever."  
Garrus reached up and ran a padded finger over his face, smearing his painted markings across his finger pad. He reached over and gently traced a faint outline of his colony emblem across her cheeks and nose.

"Artemis, I want you to be my…" Garrus began.

"Tradition dictates that you should propose a union to your chosen when she is conscious." A familiar dual tone voice chided from behind Garrus.

Garrus stood quickly and turned, his eyes setting upon a Turian he never thought he would see again.

"Father!" Garrus muttered, his mandibles flinching in surprise.

Lyras Vakarian stood straight and disciplined, his arms laced behind his back. Despite his closely controlled stature, he looked tired. "Son," he replied flatly.

Garrus felt the gap between his father and himself quickly appear once again. "I'd heard you and Solana made it off Palaven. I tried to find you, but it was nearly impossible with all the refugees."

Lyras took a few steps into the room, resting his hands on the rail of Shepard's bed. "We barely escaped with our lives. It's been a nightmare of refugee camps, chaos and disorder since then."

"I'm surprised that alone didn't kill you," Garrus quipped, immediately wanting to kick himself for the comment.

Lyras looked at Garrus without amusement. "You always were flippant. I see some things never change, no matter what command you serve under."

Garrus stood in ashamed silence, his head bowed. Lyras continued to stare at Shepard.

"How's Solana?" Garrus asked quietly after a while.

Lyras turned from Shepard and stood once again before Garrus. "She was injured during the assault on Palaven. She shattered her ischium and femur. We couldn't get proper treatment right away. She's still healing, though the doctors fear she'll have a limp the rest of her life. She sends her regards." Lyras said stiffly.

Garrus felt the sting of the comment. "She's still angry with me. I'm sorry about mother. I would have been there if…" he trailed off. "I sent every credit I could."

Lyras shook his head. "I never blamed you for that and your mother didn't either. You had a duty and you stayed true to your post."

Garrus involuntarily jerked at the statement. He had never meant to imply that his sense of duty to destroying the Collector Base was more important to him that his own Mother.

"Your mother and I had our differences. We went our separate ways a long time ago. But the last thing we agreed on was you, Garrus. In the end, your mother held no bitterness. Solana is angry with you, but your mother understood." Lyrus continued. "Solana will come around eventually. She's still young and headstrong. Just like her brother."

Garrus nodded, hoping Solana would one day try to understand his position. The silence between Garrus and Lyras grew dense. Lyras finally broke the awkward silence.

"So, you planned to take on this alien as part of the Vakarian clan without consulting me?" Lyras asked, motioning to Shepard.

Garrus felt himself flush with anger, but maintained his composure. "She is the savior of this entire galaxy. She deserves your respect."

Lyras looked at Shepard again. "You would taint the Vakarian name by tying it to an alien? A human Spectre?" He asked in a disgusted tone. "And if I forbid this union?"

Garrus felt his anger flow through him. He fought to keep his voice even. "I'm not giving her the Vakarian name. I'm giving myself to her. You can keep the family name. You're a fool to think the Vakarian clan could be sullied by the inclusion of a human alien. And not just any human. This is commander Shepard. She has saved the galaxy more times than you will ever know." Garrus was very close to his father now, bearing down on the tired Turian. "And I don't care what you allow or forbid anymore. I've gone my whole life under your direction and I've got nothing to show for it." He pointed to Shepard. "Under her command, I've witnessed such feats of compassion, overcome dire adversity, survived when survival was not an option and loved a woman with every ounce of my being. So, if she's not good enough for the Vakarian name, then neither am I."

Garrus stopped, his anger boiling through him. He waited for Lyras to respond with harsh words that would disavow Garrus as his son. To Garrus' immense surprise, Lyras smiled.

"My son has finally become an adult," Lyras mused to himself.

Garrus was shocked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Lyras chuckled again and reached out to Garrus, embracing him. Garrus stood unresponsive under his father's arms, confused. This was the first time his father had ever embraced him.

"I'm missing something. Did you hit your head on Palaven?" Garrus growled.

Lyras pulled back, a smile still on his mandibles. "I've waited so long for you to have a sense of duty to someone other than yourself. To make decisions that were right instead of just going along with what I told you to do. You have matured so much from the hot headed Turian who reacted without thinking." Lyras motioned to Shepard. "And I know she is partly to thank for that."

"You were testing me?" Garrus asked incredulously.

Lyras nodded. "In a sense." He walked over to Shepard and began to remove his face paint, adding it to her cheeks as Garrus had done earlier. "I commend Commander Artemis Shepard for her bravery and her skills. I would be honored to join the House of Vakarian with the House of Shepard."

Lyras looked up at Garrus who felt a knot form tightly in his throat. "After all, there you stand, my son. And I know this would not be the case if it were not for her."

Garrus was stunned at the sentiment.

Lyras further surprised Garrus by bending down and placing his mouth on Shepard's forehead, kissing her. "Welcome to the family, Shepard."

Garrus blinked in surprise. "Did you just kiss my girl?"

Lyras looked at Garrus with a kind of smirk. "Word travels fast when Commander Shepard takes a Turian lover. I foresaw this coming, so I studied human tradition in an attempt to make her feel more accepted. This 'kiss' motion appeared to be a widely accepted form of affection in all the vids." Lyras gestured for Garrus to resume his seated position beside Shepard's bed.

Garrus was still in shock as he sat down across from his father. "Besides," Lyras continued, "if you didn't ask her, I was going to."

_A joke. _Garrus thought amazed_. My Father actually made a joke._

Garrus chuckled, the tension lifting from the air. "She has a weakness for scars," he said, motioning to the side of his face to his father. "She would never go for a clean cut guy like you."

Lyras chuckled and picked up Shepard's hand, holding it between his. "I want to get to know her." Lyras said, staring at her face. "Tell me about her, Garrus. Tell me all about her."

Garrus smiled and looked down at Shepard as well, feeling his love for her blossom within him.

"She has the warmest smile," he began. "And her eyes glow like the Illium sun at dusk…"


	3. Chapter 3

"You need to sleep, Garrus." Tali scolded.

"I heard you the first time," Garrus grumbled, trying to keep his voice even. Tali had been hovering excessively over Garrus since his collapse. He had been so preoccupied with Shepard that he had not taken the antibiotics Dr. Chakwas had prescribed to him for his wound. He had developed a slight fever, but didn't feel it was worth mentioning to anyone. After a few days, he ended up with a nasty infection. He had been walking with his father through the Normandy when the fever overtook him. Lyras was quick to check Garrus' wound and found it inflamed. Before Garrus was even aware of what was happening, he found himself back on the Nimbus once again under medical care. It had taken some doing, but Garrus had convinced the medical staff that he would be far more likely to cooperate with their treatments if he shared a room with Shepard. Reluctantly, they transferred him to her room. He had now spent the better part of the week in a bed beside Shepard's.

"And I only had a small tear in my suit. I was out for weeks," Tali continued.

Garrus realized he had been ignoring her. When it came to infections, Tali had a strict no nonsense attitude. She had even ratted Garrus out to the evil Salarian nurse when he had left the confines of his bed in search of a snack. When they found him, they had sedated him and strapped him to the bed. He was still miffed at Tali for that.

"I appreciate your concern," Garrus said slowly. "But I'm fine now. The fever's gone and the wound is no longer inflamed. They even removed the restraints."

"You are one stubborn _bosh'tet_," Tali said, shaking her head. "If you won't do it for me, then do it for Shepard."

Garrus groaned and laid back against the bed. "I want to be awake when she wakes up."

"We don't know when that will be," Tali said, a hint of sadness entering her voice. "They said she should've woken up by now."

Garrus felt his stomach knot with worry. "They just took her off the medication. It could take a while to filter out of her system. She'll wake up when she's ready."

Tali nodded, resigned. "I guess I'd better get back to the Normandy. Liara and I have a meeting with Admiral Hackett and some others about rebuilding the relays."

Garrus grimaced. "Hm, maybe it's a good thing I'm confined to a hospital bed."

"You won't be forever!" Tali threatened. "Oh, I almost forgot. EDI said to kiss Shepard and see if she wakes up."

Garrus gave Tali a confused look. Tali shrugged. "It has something to do with an old fairytale about a prince kissing a sleeping princess and the kiss awakens her."

"Yeah," Garrus said skeptically. "Let her know I'll try that."

Tali nodded and waived at Garrus, pausing for a moment at the foot of Shepard's bed. She stared through her mask at Shepard, placing her hand on Shepard's leg. She sighed and reluctantly retreated through the door, leaving Garrus and Shepard alone.

Garrus laid back and closed his eyes. He appreciated Tali's concern, but was grateful for her absence. Despite his best attempts, Garrus felt himself falling asleep. A cough from the bed beside him pulled him back to consciousness. He sat up quickly, pulling the taut skin of his healed wound unpleasantly, and looked over to Shepard.

She coughed again and groaned. Garrus sprung up, nearly sending the bed flying across the room. The railing of the bed caught his foot and he stumbled, taking out the tray of food Tali had brought for him and the stool that sat by Shepard's bed. He regained his balance, ignoring the clatter of the metal food tray against the floor and the overturned stool. He slid up to Shepard's bed and clasped his hands around hers, staring at her intently.

"Shepard," he whispered.

She groaned again, taking in a ragged breath. He reached out and touched her face as gently as he could so that he would not hurt her. Her eyes slowly opened.

"Shepard!" He exclaimed.

She swallowed hard, opening her mouth to say something. Her voice caught in her throat and she was belayed by a fit of coughs. Garrus reached over to the table beside her bed and poured her a glass of water from the pitcher that sat there. He gently laced his hand around the back of her head and brought the glass to her lips.

She drank slowly at first and then pushed her hand up against his. Water spilled down the sides of her mouth and she coughed again. Garrus pulled the glass away and laid her head back against the pillow.

Shepard ran a hand over her face slowly, her breaths becoming even. She shifted her body, turning her head and closing her eyes.

"No!" Garrus said, desperation entering his voice. "Stay awake, Artemis."

Shepard's brow contorted and she opened her eyes, gazing at Garrus. "Since when do you refer to your Commander by their first name?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper, ragged from disuse.

Garrus drew back from her. "What?"

She closed her eyes once more and swallowed hard. "You're out of line, Vakarian."

Garrus felt his heart sink. They had warned him that there would be no telling what the extent of damage was to her cybernetics and neural network until she woke up.

"You don't remember?" He asked, disappointment and sadness entering his voice.

Shepard sighed, shifting uncomfortably in the bed again. She began to rub her temples. "Remember what? Everything's blurry."

"Us…" he said softly. He retreated from her bedside and felt his leg touch the overturned stool. He bent down and picked it up, setting it on its legs. He sat down on it, his hands covering his face in quiet disbelief.

Shepard opened her eyes, her head throbbing horribly. She focused on Garrus. The Turian sat in front of her, hands covering most of his face. She studied him for a moment. She could see his scarred mandible and wondered what had happened to him. She felt her heart wrench for him, as if it remembered something that she did not.

"Where did you get those scars, Garrus?" She asked.

Garrus sat quiet for a moment and chuckled ruefully to himself. "Do you still feel the same way about them?"

"What?" Shepard asked confused.

Garrus sighed. "A gunship on Omega. A bunch of Mercs wanted to kill me."

"Why?"

Garrus dropped his shoulders and slumped on the stool, a look of defeat crossing his face. "I was Archangel."

_Archangel_. The word slipped across her mind. She groaned, a sharp stabbing sensation shot through her head. Slowly, things began to come back to her in pain clouded memories.

"Lucky for you Archangel's your boyfriend," Shepard muttered softly, recalling something Garrus had once said to her.

Garrus stood up quickly, hope flashing across his face. He came to the edge of Shepard's bed again, looking down at her.

"You remember that? What else do you remember?" He urged.

Shepard pushed her palms against her temples, trying to ease the throbbing throughout her skull so that she could focus on the memories that lingered on the periphery of her mind. She grasped at something about Garrus, something comforting and familiar.

"I remember," she sighed, frustrated and in pain. "You… giving me an order to come back alive."

Garrus chuckled lightly, his mandibles twitching in a smile.

Shepard reached out reluctantly, touching her fingers gently across the scars on his mandible. Garrus reached up, encircling his hand around hers, leaning his face into her palm.

"There's no Shepard without Vakarian?" She asked tentatively.

"You know it!" He said, the relief in his voice immeasurable. He pressed his mouth to her palm before looking into her eyes. "Shepard, I… love you."

A memory exploded before her vision and she groaned as a wave of pain overtook her. Shepard squeezed her eyes shut and saw Garrus leaned up against Vega, wounded and reaching for her. The memories then broke through in a flood, coming back to her in disorganized chaos. Shepard pulled away from Garrus and curled herself into a tight ball, pressing her hands once again tightly to her head as she was barraged by pain. She could feel Garrus lean down and wrap his arms around her, embracing her protectively. She leaned into Garrus, allowing herself to take comfort in his strength. Slowly, Shepard began to emerge from her state of entropy, the confusion and disorientation melting away into cohesive thoughts and memories. The pain finally began to recede and she was finally in a coherent state of mind.

Shepard sighed in relief. Garrus let go of her and stood up, looking at her with concern.

"Shepard, are you alright?" His voice laden with worry.

"I'm fine, Garrus." She said, her voice gaining strength. She looked up at him, her Garrus, and smiled. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and attempted to stand. Her muscles were weak and she faltered slightly as she stood.

"Artemis!" Garrus yelped in shock and grabbed her by the waist. "What are you doing?"

Shepard pushed up on his arms and planted a kiss on his mouth. "I love you, too, Garrus Vakarian."

Garrus gasped softly and then encircled his arms around her tightly as he lifted her up into him. Shepard reciprocated the embrace, laying her head heavily against his neck.

"Don't ever leave me again," he whispered, clinging to her.

"Never," Shepard promised, still relishing in the comfort of his arms. "Did we win?"

"Yes," Garrus said, nuzzling her shoulder with his mandible. "You beat the Reapers."

"How?" She asked.

"You boarded the Citadel and activated the Crucible which sent out a beam that destroyed the Reaper signal."

"And the child inside the Crucible?" Shepard asked, confused.

"Child?" Concern entered Garrus' voice. "There was no child, Shepard. What are you talking about?"

Shepard sighed deeply, her arms tightening around Garrus. "Then it was just a dream," she whispered thankfully.

Garrus reluctantly released Shepard and helped her back into bed. Her face was a mixture of relief and weariness.

"What dream?" Garrus asked.

Shepard stared past Garrus as she spoke. "I dreamed that the Crucible didn't work like we expected. The Catalyst was actually a Construct in the form of a child. It was like an AI that embodied the intelligence of the Reapers. It was created to establish a connection between Organic and Synthetic life. Once Organics surpassed a technological milestone of Synthetic advancement, the construct would send the Reapers to start the cycle over."

Garrus stood silent, waiting for Shepard to continue. "The Construct offered me a series of choices. It offered me control over the Reapers. However, in order to gain this control, I would die and my conscious embodiment would merge with that of the Construct, overtaking it. My physical form and individual self would cease. With this sacrifice, I would control the Reapers and be able to stop the cycles of carnage. Or I could reject the Construct and allow the Reapers to simply continue the cycle of destruction, wiping the slate clean and starting anew. Or I could destroy the power channel which would destroy the Reapers and with them, all synthetic life in the galaxy. Or I could merge organic life with synthetic life, bringing about the dawn of a new era between both life forms."

Shepard stopped and looked up at Garrus. He smiled at her and patted her shoulder. "Wow, what kind of meds did they have you on?"

Shepard smiled in relief and shook her head. "Must have been some crazy stuff." She lost her smile quickly. "Anderson?"

Garrus dropped his eyes. "I'm sorry, Shepard. He didn't make it."

Shepard nodded. "I guess not everything was a dream."

Garrus remained silent, unsure of what to say. Shepard laid there quiet for a moment, reliving her last moments with Anderson. She swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears from her eyes.

"How are you?" Shepard asked, motioning to Garrus' side, changing the subject.

"I'm healing. It'll leave a scar, but I hear you're crazy about those." He said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Damn right," she said with a smirk. "How's everyone else?"

"They're doing fine. They've been waiting for you to wake up." Garrus reached out and held Shepard's hand. "Just like me."

Shepard squeezed his hand, feeling her eyes grow heavy. She was surprised to find that she was exhausted. "Guess I'll have a lot to do when I finally get out of this bed."

"Don't worry. We've taken care of everything while you've been recovering." Garrus assured her.

"Everything?" She asked, her head resting heavily against the pillow. She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of sleep begin to slowly roll through her.

"Yeah. You don't have to worry about a thing. Just rest and get better," Garrus said, placing his mouth on her forehead.

She smiled at the sweet gesture. "Okay," she mumbled softly, drifting back into sleep. "Who's been feeding my hamster?"

Garrus froze. His eyes opened wide and his mandibles twitched nervously. "Uh…"

"Garrus?" she asked, half asleep.

"I…uh… I'll get back to you!" Garrus muttered, as he rushed out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Shepard sat in her hospital bed and vigorously rubbed the soft pink skin on her arms. Despite the medication, they itched badly. In fact, everywhere she had received new skin grafts itched horribly. She rubbed harder than she dared and her skin began to burn. She groaned in frustration and gave up trying. Her Salarian nurse entered moments later.

"Extend arm. Blood tests are required," she demanded sharply.

Shepard complied, extending her arm to the nurse. The nurse scowled at the angry red welts on Shepard's arm. She looked at Shepard, clearly annoyed.

"Got to leave that to heal. Infection could still set in. Burns were bad," she quipped.

Shepard sighed. She had been lectured about this before. According to the nurse and the medical staff, everything she did was wrong. She ate too much or too little, she slept wrong, and she scratched at her healing wounds. The list went on and on.

"I know," she grumbled. "I just need something to do, something to focus on. You won't even let me leave this room."

The Salarian nurse remained silent and began to take the blood sample.

Shepard ground her teeth, aggravated. "Haven't I been under observation long enough?"

The Salarian nurse narrowed her eyes at Shepard. "Cybernetics were damaged. Massive burns and other injuries. Must remain under constant monitoring. Doctor's orders."

"I feel like a prisoner more than a patient," Shepard said.

The Salarian nurse ignored Shepard and continued her duties. She left the room without another word to Shepard.

"Fine. I guess I could just burn down the hospital," Shepard mumbled bitterly.

"I wouldn't advise that," Admiral Hackett said from the doorway. Shepard looked up at the old Admiral, glad for the company. "I have enough red tape to step over without you pulling a stunt like that. Do you know how much trouble your angry Turian boyfriend has caused me since you've been in here?" He asked.

Shepard chuckled. "I've heard some stories. The nurse told me that he broke the restraints on three different medical beds until they moved him in here with me."

Hackett sat in a chair beside Shepard's bed. "Yes, he did. He caused quite a stir for a sick Turian. Before that, he injured two security guards when he infiltrated his way into your room. It took six officers to pin him down. They had to sedate him to get him under control…twice!" Hackett exclaimed. Shepard did her best to keep her amusement hidden.

Hackett continued. "Did you know that he changed the lock code on your door? Not even the doctors could get in to see you without his permission!"

Shepard grinned. "He was just protecting me."

Hackett grunted. "I suppose. Loyalty like that is hard to find." He relaxed into the chair, pulling off his hat.

"They've been running so many tests on me lately that I haven't gotten to spend much time with him," Shepard remarked.

"And don't think I haven't heard about it from him," Hackett groaned. "He's relentless. I keep assuring him that I'm trying to get you out of here."

"So, what's the verdict?" Shepard asked. "When am I getting out of here?"

Hackett sighed. "The doctor's are fighting me on that. They want to keep you for further testing."

Shepard growled in disgust. She pushed herself off the bed and began to pace across the room. "I have been locked up in this room for two weeks since I woke up. They won't even let me have a datapad to watch the news! The only outside contact I've had other than you and my crew was from my mother on a closely monitored circuit! I'm going crazy. I need to get out of here!" She continued to rant. "Why are they keeping me here? Other than a few aches and pains, I'm nearly healed. Why won't they let me out?"

"It's because you're nearly healed that they won't let you out, Shepard," Hackett said to her surprise.

She stopped, turning to him. "What? Why?"

Hackett leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and linking his hands. "You survived a direct hit from Harbinger's Reaper beam. Your body was charred beyond recognition. Your skin was literally burned completely away in places. You had internal bleeding, broken ribs, a concussion, and massive internal injuries to your vital organs, yet here you stand." He motioned to her. "They want to know why."

Shepard shook her head. "The Lazarus Project."

Hackett nodded. "What do you know about the project?"

"Only that they spent a great deal of time and money to bring me back. They used cutting edge cybernetics, medical science, and the best minds in the galaxy to recreate me. Miranda might know more than me, but she was just in charge of the project." Shepard resumed her pacing. "The only one who could answer any questions about what was actually done to me is dead. I shot him."

Hackett smirked at her comment. "Whatever the Illusive Man did to bring you back, it changed your physiology. You're healing more rapidly than you should and the doctors here can't explain it."

Shepard stopped pacing and remembered her clone, sickened by the thought that entered her mind. "Admiral, do you think I'm me?"

"What do you mean?" Hackett asked, intrigued.

Shepard closed her eyes and forced the unwilling words from her mouth. "The Illusive Man created a clone. What if I'm just another clone with the original Shepard's memories?"

Hackett stood and walked over to Shepard, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I've known you a long time. You're a damn fine soldier, Shepard. I wouldn't have staked the survival of the universe on anyone except you. You may have some extra features, but I know you and no one could duplicate you, not even the Illusive Man."

Shepard felt a measure of relief. "Thank you, sir." She sighed. "So, I'm a science project to these doctors?"

Hackett crossed his arms over his chest. "Not if I can help it. I'm scheduled to have a meeting with the medical board and chief medical staff today about your release. You're a war hero. You shouldn't be made to feel like you're being kept as a prisoner. They can only hide behind the term 'Medical Observation' for so long."

"You'd be surprised," Shepard said ruefully.

Hackett picked up his hat and placed it on his head. "You'll be out of here before you know it, Shepard. I promise."

PART II:

"How goes the work on the Mass Effect Relays, Liara?" Shepard asked, picking at her food.

"Great!" Liara answered, her image slightly distorted by the holoscreen. "After extensive and successful testing with unmanned ships, we were able to send in six ships staffed with limited personnel. They arrived safely and intact. The Mass Relays seem to be holding up, but further testing is needed. Luckily, the damage wasn't as severe as we feared it was."

Shepard nodded, shoving her food away. "At least we didn't have to rebuild them from the ground up." She eyed Liara. "You're enjoying this."

Liara adverted her eyes and shrugged. "I feel useful here, Shepard. I feel like I'm making a difference."

"You always sell yourself short, Liara. You've got a lot to offer the universe," Shepard said truthfully.

Liara smiled. "Thank you, Shepard. That means a lot to me."

Shepard smiled at her friend. "How's the progress on the Citadel?"

Liara perked up again. "Oh, that's going really well! All things considered, the damages…" Liara's face disappeared and the transmission went dark.

"Liara?" Shepard asked. The holoscreen became bright and the Salarian nurse came into view.

"Visiting hours over. Rest is required now," she said in her short, succinct tone.

Shepard felt herself flush with anger. "Really?"

"No arguments!" The Salarian nurse shouted.

"Wha…" Shepard scoffed and watched the holoscreen disappear.

_Oh, I am so going to get her_, Shepard thought to herself as she laid back on the bed.

Shepard laid in the quiet of her room, her mind concocting interesting and satisfying ways to exact revenge on the Salarian nurse, when suddenly all the lights powered off. Shepard sat up, the darkness wrapping around her like a heavy blanket. An alarm began to sound and slowly, the emergency power kicked on. Shepard sprung from her bed and stumbled for a second. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the dark amber light from the auxiliary control.

"Alert, Alert," the calm VI voice said over the intercom system. "Lockdown mode initiated. Emergency systems activated. All personnel please report to the Security Office on Level 7. This is not a drill. Repeat, all personnel please report to the Security Office on Level 7. This is not a drill."

"Oh, Shit," Shepard muttered and went to the door. It was locked. She growled in frustration and kicked it.

"What the hell is going on?" She called out to the air.

_Have we been hijacked?_ She asked herself. _Was there a hull breach? A fire? An Assassin? _Her mind raced with thousands of questions as she searched for another way out of the room.

A banging sound snapped her attention back to the door. She stood motionless for a moment and then grabbed the small metal stool that sat by her bed. She raised it up, preparing to defend herself if necessary.

The door gave way and opened a moment later. A large figure stepped through the door and grinned at her.

"Shepard," Grunt said in an amused tone. "I like your new weapon of choice."

Shepard dropped her stool and grinned widely. "Grunt!"

Grunt advanced quickly towards Shepard, picking her up in his arms. "Battlemaster!" He cried out, squeezing Shepard tightly.

Shepard winced. She was still sore from her ordeal and he was squeezing the air out of her. Despite this, she hugged him back.

"Grunt, what're you doing here?" Shepard asked when he finally set her down. "What's going on?"

Grunt laughed his wicked little laugh. "Jailbreak."

"What?" Shepard asked, astonished.

"I thought it was time for a little change of scenery," Garrus said as he stepped into the room.

Shepard's mouth dropped open. "You orchestrated this?"

Garrus nodded. "Liara tapped into the emergency system while EDI broadcasted a fake alert throughout the facility. She's been very convincing."

Shepard shook her head. It had been EDI's voice she had heard over the intercom. In her surprise, she had not recognized it.

"Was that really necessary?" Shepard asked, motioning to the marred door.

Garrus shrugged. "Grunt was impatient to see you. I thought I'd let him have a little fun."

Grunt chuckled and bounced from one foot to the other, confirming Garrus' remark.

Garrus reached out and took Shepard's hand, pulling her close to him. "Now, can you walk or do I get the pleasure of carrying you out of here?"

Shepard smiled up at Garrus. "Not to seem ungrateful, but you know Hackett's going to court martial you for this."

Garrus smiled, leaning in close to Shepard, his mandible brushing her cheek. "Who do you think authorized this?"

Shepard pulled back, shocked. "Hackett's in on it?"

Garrus chuckled. "He got the chief Medical Staff and the Medical Board confined to one room for a meeting so we could lockdown this entire place to steal you away."

Shepard laughed, kissing Garrus. "I'm impressed. You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Vakarian."

Garrus swept his arm under Shepard's legs, pulling her up and cradling her to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Oh, just wait. There are more surprises and the best is yet to come."

"If you two are done making gooey eyes at each other, I suggest we get out of here!" Grunt interrupted.

"Right behind you," Garrus complied, holding Shepard close.

They ran through the hallways of the Nimbus to the docking bay. Grunt expressed his extreme disappointment that EDI had bypassed the locks on the doors blocking their paths.

"I thought this was going to be a challenge," Grunt griped as they turned the corner. As they rounded another corridor, they came face to face with Shepard's Salarian nurse.

She stared at them, wide eyed and shocked. She glared at Shepard and pointed to her in Garrus' arms. "That's my patient!" She protested.

Grunt grinned widely and advanced towards the Salarian nurse. She shot a worried gaze back between Shepard and the approaching Krogan. Grunt pressed his face against the Salarian nurse's, growling menacingly.

"That's my Battlemaster!" He yelled. The Salarian nurse quaked visibly, frozen in fear. Grunt huffed and placed a hand on her shoulder, shoving her out of the way. The Salarian nurse fell to the floor and stared at Grunt in disbelief. Grunt gestured to the clear path he had just made for Garrus and Shepard.

Garrus stepped beside the nurse, staring down at her. "Thank you for your cooperation," he said sarcastically.

"Fine, good riddance!" The Salarian nurse shouted after them. "More trouble than you're worth!"

Grunt stopped walking and turned around. The taunt had been a challenge to him. He glared at the Salarian nurse and lowered his head, letting loose a battle cry that made Shepard's insides turn to pulp. The Salarian nurse screamed in terror, scrambling to her feet. She ran down the corridor, throwing a glance backwards at Grunt and slammed into a metal door. She staggered for a moment and then crumpled into a heap on the floor, out cold.

Grunt laughed raucously at the sight. Shepard even heard Garrus snicker.

"Grunt!" Shepard began. Grunt stopped laughing and dropped his head, preparing to be scolded. "Thank you for that," Shepard said, no longer able to suppress her own laughter.

Grunt raised his head, flashing her a wicked smile. "My pleasure."

They continued to the shuttle bay uninterrupted. Vega greeted them. "Hey, Lola, looking good."

Garrus set Shepard down and she went to Vega, embracing him. He stool rigid at first, but then hugged her back. "I've missed you, Commander," he whispered, dropping his macho act.

Shepard smiled. "I've missed you, too, James." She looked over his shoulder. "Where's Cortez?"

Vega smiled. "He lost the toss up." He stepped aside, ushering her into the shuttle. "Your chariot, Commander."

Shepard smiled and stepped inside, aware that Vega was inspecting her intently. Garrus came up beside him. "Don't get any ideas about my girl, Vega."

Vega snickered. "Oh, I have ideas, Scars. And trust me, she's thinking the same thing."

Garrus towered over Vega. "Big talk for such a short man."

"Yeah, well at least I am a man and not some overgrown prehistoric bird lizard," Vega contested.

Shepard shook her head. "Hey, come on, guys. I want to get back to the Normandy."

"Shepard's right," Grunt interjected, pushing between Garrus and Vega. "Besides, we all know she loves me the most."

Garrus and Vega turned to Grunt and then back to each other and laughed. Grunt growled at both of them and boarded the shuttle. Garrus and Vega followed, still chuckling.

"Let's get you back to where you belong," Vega said, closing the shuttle door.

"I couldn't agree more," Shepard said.

Garrus sat down beside Shepard, gazing down at her lovingly. "EDI, lift the lockdown. Our Commander's coming home."


	5. Chapter 5

"Welcome back, Commander!" Cortez shouted as Shepard stepped from the shuttle.

"It's good to be back, Cortez," Shepard said with a smile. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, thankful for the familiar surroundings of the Normandy. She began to feel all the tension in her muscles relax and settle. She was home.

"Don't celebrate just yet, Lola," Vega called out. "It's up to Joker to get us out of here, so we might not make it out alive."

"I heard that, meathead," Joker announced over the intercom. "About time you came back, Commander. This crew's been getting rowdy!" Shepard chuckled at Joker's comment.

"Hang on! We're entering the relay!" Joker warned. Shepard felt the Normandy subtly pull around and accelerate effortlessly.

"We're going through the Mass Relay?" Shepard asked Garrus, feeling concerned despite her previous conversation with Liara about the effectiveness of the Relays.

"It'll be fine," Garrus remarked, sounding only half convinced.

Vega gripped the side of the shuttle tightly. "I swear that if we come out the other side and I'm missing any vital parts, I'm going to kick his crippled ass."

As they went through the Relay, Shepard closed her eyes. She became aware of Garrus' hand wrapping tightly around hers. She opened her eyes and saw him staring at her. She leaned in close to him, taking comfort in his presence. When they emerged through the Relay, Shepard joined everyone in a collective sigh. She glanced over and watched Vega pat down his entire body.

"_Gracias a Dios!_" He exclaimed in relief.

"And we're home free!" Joker declared. "You're welcome, Commander."

Shepard shook her head and grinned. _Smart ass_, she thought to herself.

"It all seems too easy," Shepard mused quietly.

Vega scoffed. "Maybe to you, Lola, but a hell of a lot went into this rescue mission. EDI cleaned out all their video feeds and security logs on you while she took over their security system. The Asari hacked in and made sure all their records of you mysteriously disappeared. And Scars has been up for days planning the whole thing."

Shepard looked over to Garrus, stunned. Garrus shrugged his shoulders modestly. "All in a days work," he said.

Grunt shuffled up next to Vega and nudged him roughly. "I helped, too!"

Vega groaned. "Yeah, and the big guy acted as a battering ram."

Grunt chuckled at the remark, happy for the recognition.

"Thank you," Shepard said genuinely. "I appreciate everything all of you have done for me."

"Anything for you, Commander," Vega said. "And I do mean anything," he added with a wink.

"Commander Shepard," a dual tone voice interrupted her before she could respond to Vega. Shepard turned and saw an older Turian approaching her. She cocked her head slightly and appraised him. He had the same face markings as Garrus.

"Shepard," Garrus said nervously as the other Turian stepped in front of her. "I would like to introduce you to my father, Lyras Vakarian."

Shepard was barely able to conceal her immense surprise, but kept a straight face. She was known for her poker face. Shepard extended her hand to Lyras.

"It's an honor to meet you. I'm glad you made it safely off Palaven," she said smoothly.

Lyras took her hand, squeezing it gently. "The honor is mine, Commander. Every race owes you our deepest gratitude."

Shepard felt her cheeks flush slightly and she managed a small smile for Lyras. "You're too kind. I did what any soldier would do."

Lyras inclined his head. "Ah, yes, but you succeeded."

"I didn't do it alone," Shepard replied, looking to Garrus who shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "I was fortunate to have an extremely loyal and capable crew."

Shepard had gotten good at reading Turian expressions, such as they were. Lyras looked over at Garrus and Shepard could not mistake the swell of pride on the elder Vakarian's face. "As they were fortunate for such a Commander," Lyras countered.

Shepard fought against the blush that touched her cheeks again. "Smooth talkers must run in the family."

Lyras chuckled. "A quality family trait that I'm glad was passed to my son. I'll let you get back to your crew, Commander."

Shepard watched Lyras walk away. Before she could say anything, Garrus' omni tool sounded with a message from Kaidan.

"Hey, what's keeping you?" He demanded goodheartedly. "We're all waiting up here for the Commander! You can't keep her all to yourself, you know."

"Wanna bet?" Garrus mumbled and gave Shepard a resigned look. "Sorry, they insisted on a welcome back party. You're the guest of honor and everyone's waiting."

Shepard suppressed a groan and smiled instead. "Well, I guess we shouldn't keep them waiting." They began walking towards the door. "Garrus?" Shepard hesitated.

"Yes, Shepard?" Garrus asked.

"I want to hold a memorial service for Anderson," she said softly. "I never really got a chance to mourn his passing. I want to honor him and place his name amongst those of the fallen on the memorial wall."

Garrus surprised Shepard by wrapping her in a tight embrace. She squeezed him tightly back. "I think that is a wonderful idea, Shepard."

Shepard was relieved when she and Garrus stepped into the elevator to go to her cabin. It had been a lengthy celebration of reunion and joyous merriment. She was still not fully healed and the events of the festivities had definitely taken more out of her than she expected. Despite her fatigue, she had not been oblivious to the scrutinizing gaze of Dr. Chakwas. She appreciated the doctor's concern, however, the last thing she wanted was to be treated as a patient again. Shepard finally decided to retire to her quarters after receiving one too many stern glances cast her way by Dr. Chakwas. Once the elevator opened to her cabin, Shepard felt the calming comfort of its solitude fill her and she felt slightly revitalized.

She stepped into her cabin and hurried over to her hamster. "Hey Squeaks, did you miss me?"

The hamster peaked out of its little abode for a moment to inspect Shepard and then rushed back into the comfort of its home. Shepard's eyebrows knitted as she studied the creature.

"Garrus, he looks thinner," she observed.

"Yeah, well, uh," Garrus mumbled. "It was the most peculiar thing, Shepard. He wouldn't eat until you woke up. Strange creature."

"Uh huh," Shepard said unconvinced, wiggling her finger at the hamster. Squeaks peeked its head out again, its nose sniffing furiously, trying to smell her finger through the glass. The hamster, although thinner, appeared to be in good health.

"Well, at least my fish have an automatic feeder," Shepard muttered thankfully.

"You should be glad Grunt didn't eat them," Garrus snickered. "He wanted to, but didn't know your door code."

Shepard chuckled and continued to play with her neglected hamster.

"Shepard," Garrus said, his voice taking on a serious tone. "Can you come here for a moment?"

Shepard stopped and looked over to Garrus. He had descended the small flight of stairs and was now sitting on the couch. She made her way to him, noticing that he held a small box between his hands.

Shepard sat beside Garrus, studying the box. It was hand carved from soapstone, adorned with beautiful patterns. "For me?" She asked.

Garrus nodded, handing the box to her. "Open it."

Shepard smiled at Garrus and opened the box. She gasped at the objects which lay inside. She reached down, her fingertips caressing the battle worn dog tags. She tore her eyes from the dog tags and looked at Garrus. "How did you get these?" She whispered, her mouth hanging slightly ajar in disbelief.

Garrus shifted awkwardly. "The extraction team recovered his body when they found you. He was like a father to you. I know he was proud of you and I figured he would've wanted you to have something of his."

Shepard held the dog tags between her fingers. The name David Anderson glinted in the cabin light off them. Stricken by the gesture, she began to cry softly. The memory of Anderson's death was still fresh in her mind.

"Thank you, Garrus, this means a lot to me," Shepard choked out. She held the dog tags close, as if they would somehow bring Anderson back to her.

"I hope it was… appropriate," Garrus started, sounding unsure of his gift.

Shepard wiped at her eyes. "Yes, it was. Thank you. This means more to me than you could ever know."

Garrus relaxed and allowed Shepard to lose herself in her memories as she stared at Anderson's dog tags with a mixture of admiration, sorrow and regret.

"I have something else for you," Garrus said after some time, breaking through her thoughts.

Shepard stiffened a little. His last thoughtful gift had turned her into an emotional wreck. "What is it?"

Garrus pulled another similar box up from beside the couch and presented it to Shepard. Slowly, she set Anderson's dog tags aside and accepted the new box from Garrus. She opened it and saw nestled against purple velvet, a small jar of blue paint. Shepard looked up at Garrus, giving him a confused expression.

"It's the same paint I use on my face for my emblem," Garrus said, answering her unspoken question.

Shepard smiled once again at Garrus, not quite understanding the meaning of the gift, but appreciating the gesture all the same. "Thank you, Garrus. I…" Shepard stopped as Garrus slid off the couch, placing one knee on the floor and kneeling in front of her. Shepard's heart leapt up into her throat as the significance of the paint finally dawned upon her.

Garrus reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. "Shepard… Artemis," his voice hitched with a nervous lilt. "I never had a direction in life. I didn't really see myself as anything special; I just did what was expected of me. Then you came along and showed me the meaning of being a hero and a legend. You showed me what it was like to be selfless and to sacrifice for the greater good. I found a reason to strive for greatness under your leadership. But in the end, even with all that, I found that I still wanted something more for myself. I wanted you." He gazed intently into her eyes and then shook his head, lowering his voice. "No, it was more than that. I _needed_ you. In so many ways, you are the best damn thing that has ever happened to me. The thought of having ever let you down terrifies me. When I thought I'd lost you, I was devastated. I'm not sure if I could've gone on living without you. I've never needed anything or anyone as much as I need you." Garrus paused for a moment, pulling the lid off the jar and dipping the pads of his fingers into the paint. He reached up to Shepard's face and skillfully began to trace his emblem upon her cheeks. Shepard closed her eyes, reveling in the touch of his fingers on her skin. When he was done, she opened her eyes and gazed in wonderment at him. Garrus continued. "Artemis Shepard, my Commander, my friend, my love, I pledge my heart and soul to you. I kneel before you, a man who couldn't possibly face another day without you by his side. I regret not saying it sooner, but I vow that I will say it and make it known every day for the rest of our lives. I love you and it would complete me if you would join your name with mine and be with me always." He pulled in a deep breath. "Shepard, will you marry me?"

Shepard gazed down at Garrus, sitting hopefully on one knee. His hands clasped against hers as he peered up at her eagerly. Shepard was flooded with waves of emotions and she struggled to keep them at bay. She untwisted her hand from Garrus' grasp and reached out, stroking his scarred mandible lovingly.

"Garrus Vakarian, I never thought you'd ask," she whispered, tears touching her eyes.

Garrus chuckled in relief and raised his mouth to hers, bringing his hands up and running his fingers through her hair. She kissed him back hard, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He moved his mouth down along her neck and laid his head on her shoulder. He hummed softly against her skin.

"So, I'll take that as a Yes, then?" Garrus teased.

"Of course," she replied, running her fingers over his crest. "You knew the answer before you even asked."

Garrus chuckled, stroking her arm. "I suppose I did."

Shepard stood up and pulled Garrus over to the bed with her. He watched her as she began to strip out of her clothes, admiring her body as she did. He mimicked her movements, removing his armor.

"So, how many vids did you watch to prepare for this?" Shepard asked

Garrus pulled her close to him, feeling her soft warm body flush with his. He gazed down at her, admiring the blue paint that adorned her cheeks, enjoying the fact that it marked her as his.

"None," he said softly, dropping his head down and nuzzling the soft skin between her breasts.

Shepard shuddered pleasurably in his arms, his breath hot against her skin. "You've always had a way with words."

"Glad to hear it," Garrus mused, running his mandible over her collarbone. "Let's put my other talents to the test, shall we?"

He lowered her to the bed and caressed her lovingly. She wrapped herself around him and allowed herself to become lost in his embrace.

Shepard watched Garrus sleep for the first time in a long time. A small smile crept onto her lips as she realized that their roles were reversed this time. He had been the one watching her sleep as she healed. She realized how exhausted Garrus must have been, but had kept going until he had gotten her back aboard the Normandy safe and sound. After they had made love, Garrus had wrapped Shepard in his arms and promptly fallen asleep. Despite her best efforts, she had found herself unable to join him. She had slept too long as it was.

She traced her fingers slowly over his, touching his talons gently. He continued to slumber uninterrupted. She was amazed by the depth of love she had for him as she gazed at his relaxed face. As a young girl, she had fantasized about the man she would love when she grew up would be like. She was unsure she would ever find such a man. Yet, here he lay in front of her, the true embodiment of everything she could have ever dreamed of. His loyalty was unsurpassed and he cared about her more than she ever thought possible. What she loved most was that he wanted to protect her even though he knew she was strong and could handle herself in nearly every situation. However, what he protected her from the most was herself. He made sure she never felt alone and never judged herself too harshly. He had given himself to her, heart and soul. She could be vulnerable around him without feeling judged or weak. He understood her as no one before him ever had.

She felt her eyes sting with tears as she traced her thumb over his mandible. She couldn't even comprehend the thought of losing him. She knew she could never fathom the amount of sorrow and anguish he had endured when he thought he had lost her.

"Garrus," she whispered. His name hung in the air and brought her comfort. She smiled, reaching up and touching the blue paint he had put on her cheeks. Excitement fluttered through her stomach as she remembered his words. Soon, they would belong to the other forever.

She sat back and watched Garrus sleep, the shadows from the light of the fish tank swam over his naked form. He was truly perfect in her eyes. As she watched him, a blissful kind of calm settled throughout her. For the first time she could remember, she was actually at peace. She was truly happy, something she had never been before in her life.

And it was all thanks to him.


End file.
